boltQuick Facts10-sec scan
navigationHow I Did It
- check_circleTook the overnight sleeper from New Delhi to Varanasi (~₹400) and stayed in a riverside hostel dorm near Assi Ghat.
- check_circleWalked the ghats end to end — Assi to Manikarnika — which is free and the single best thing to do in the city.
- check_circleShared a dawn boat with 8 others (₹150) instead of a private boat, and split a Sarnath auto with hostel mates.
- check_circleWatched the Ganga aarti from the ghat steps for free instead of paying for a “VIP boat view”.
alt_routeMy Route
- 1New Delhi~₹400overnight sleeper, ~₹400
- 2Varanasi Junction
- 3Assi Ghat hostel~₹500dorm ~₹500/night, 2 nights
- 4Ghats walk → Sarnath~₹200shared auto ~₹200) → Ganga aarti (free
articleMy Experience
Varanasi doesn’t ease you in. The auto from the station dropped me at Assi Ghat at 7 am, and within ten minutes I’d seen a sunrise yoga class, a funeral procession, and a man selling the best masala chai of my life — all within 100 metres. This city contains everything at once, and after the initial overwhelm, that’s exactly what I loved.
I walked the ghats every morning before the crowds — Assi to Dashashwamedh to Manikarnika, about 5 km of stone steps, temples, wrestlers’ akharas and laundrymen. The dawn boat ride was worth every rupee of the ₹150: the city revealing itself floor by floor in golden light, guides chanting the ghats’ names like a litany. Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon, was the quiet counterpoint — deer park, soft lawns, and a museum with the original Lion Capital.
The Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh is touristy and transcendent at the same time. I sat on the steps, not on a boat, and watched seven priests move in perfect synchrony with fire. A boatman told me the river has seen it all and judges none of it — I believed him. Three days in Varanasi rearranged something in me. I came for the photos; I left thinking about impermanence.
account_balance_walletWhat I Spent
| Expense | Approx Cost |
|---|---|
| Delhi–Varanasi trains (return) | ₹800 |
| Hostel dorm, 2 nights | ₹1,000 |
| Food: thalis, chaat, lassi, chai (3 days) | ₹1,500 |
| Shared dawn boat | ₹150 |
| Sarnath shared auto (return) | ₹200 |
| Miscellaneous | ₹400 |
lightbulbMoney Saver
Share the dawn boat — ₹100–200 per person shared versus ₹800+ for a private boat, same sunrise. Watch the aarti from the ghat steps; the “VIP boat” view costs money for a worse angle.
verified_userReality Check
What actually saved money? The hostel dorm near Assi and eating at local spots instead of rooftop tourist cafés. What wasn’t worth saving money on? The dawn boat ride. Skip a meal if you must, but don’t skip the boat. Biggest mistake? Trying to “do” Manikarnika with a camera out — it’s a working cremation ghat; I put the camera away and just walked respectfully. Biggest surprise? How safe and welcoming it felt as a solo woman — the hostel crowd, the chaiwala who remembered my order, all of it. Would I do this route again? Without hesitation — though next time in winter, when the morning fog makes the ghats even more otherworldly.
tips_and_updatesWhat I Wish I Knew
- The ghats walk is best at 6 am; by 10 am it’s hot and crowded.
- February is ideal — pleasant days, cool nights, and the fog mostly gone.
- Auto drivers quote “ghat tours” at inflated prices; the ghats are walkable and free.
- Carry small notes — boatmen, chaiwalas and flower sellers all prefer cash.
personAbout the Traveler
Divya from Chennai — a traveller story on Mountains Bliss. Traveller stories · fellow travellers, honest budgets.
forumDivya
Is 3 days enough for Varanasi?
Perfect for the ghats, aarti, Sarnath and the old city lanes. Add a 4th day only if you want a slow silk-weaving or food trail.
Which ghat area should I stay in — Assi or Godowlia?
Assi for calm mornings, cafés and hostels; Godowlia/Dashashwamedh for being in the thick of it. I loved Assi and walked everywhere from there.
forum Traveler discussion (0)
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